Living Coral: The Limited Edition Pantone Color Of 2019

December 11, 2018

Pantone has announced that Living Coral is the 2019 Pantone color of the year. The color authority has bestowed the honorable title on a special hue every December for the past 20 years, taking into account fashion, decorating, design and cultural trends, as well as “how colors can embody our collective experience and reflect what is taking place in our global culture at a moment in time,” according to press release from Pantone.

This year’s color, PANTONE 16-1546 Living Coral, is an animating shade of orange with a golden undertone, which reflects the warmth, nourishment, and shelter of coral reefs to sea life.

Pantone notes that this year’s selection symbolizes an “innate need for optimism and joyful pursuits” and “authentic and immersive experiences that enable connection and intimacy” — the latter carrying extra poignancy in a cultural landscape that is increasingly dominated by digital technology and social media.

Fittingly, Living Coral also speaks to the urgency of respecting and preserving nature and natural resources into a living space.

Coral reefs are an important part of the global environment, both protecting and nurturing marine ecosystems and helping with water filtration and marine life reproduction, among other things.

With critical issues with climate change and other environmental threats taking center stage in recent months, this pantone color and its connection to nature feels especially relevant, especially when you consider that some species of coral are listed as “threatened” under the Endangered Species Act.

“The whole process is one that requires thoughtful consideration and analysis,” Pressman said. “It’s something we talk about on a year-round basis.”

Living Coral follows 2018’s Pantone Color of the Year, PANTONE 18-3838 Ultra Violet, a bright, vibrant purple that many felt honored the late musician Prince and hinted at the need for bipartisanship in the current political climate.